In the northwest section of Buckhead, developers are planning the last stages of a grand development on the corner of Northside Parkway and Howell Mill Road.

A fourth tower at Piazza at Paces will be the final office component to come to the successful development.

Piazza at Paces owner and developer Ronus Properties LLC said the as-yet-unnamed tower will have up to 11 floors and 280,000 square feet. Construction is slated for spring 2008, and completion is expected in late 2009 or early 2010, the company said.

Piazza at Paces is made up of The Forum, a 210,000-square-foot office building and the Rinaldi, at 42,000 square feet. Those buildings will be joined by The Medici, which began construction last November and is expected to be completed in December. The Medici will have six floors and 160,000 square feet.

Ronus Properties' total investment in the office components of Piazza at Paces will be about $200 million.

Ben Carter Properties Inc. leases the office portion of the project, which is knit together by quality office tenants -- including Miami-based law firm Greenberg Traurig LLP.

"It's a community that's been created there," said Sharon Altenbach, executive vice president and partner at Ben Carter Properties.

Ronus said architecture and landscaping plays a big role in the surroundings, allowing it to become its own neighborhood center.

Piazza at Paces is characterized by Italian influences, including architecture and natural surroundings, such as its Piazza Gardens. The development's surrounding area includes SunTrust Bank, Houston's restaurant, small shopping centers, the OK Cafe and single-family homes.

Being close to Buckhead's residential community certainly hasn't hurt; according to Ronus, the proximity "gives it an edge over the competition and the tenant base as the project continues to attract successful companies."

It wasn't a problem selling the residential neighborhood on the newest office tower addition, said Rick Langhorne, president of Ronus Properties.

"We basically stuck to office and industrial zoning. That was [the residents'] main concern," Langhorne said.

Ronus Properties said The Forum and The Rinaldi are 100 percent leased, and that full occupancy was achieved in a shorter time period than is typical in the Buckhead market.

The Forum has 23 tenants; The Rinaldi, five.

Langhorne, in an e-mail correspondence, said, "From an owner's perspective, the first two buildings were successful due to achieving rental rates at the high end of the market. The unique location and overall high quality of the project have also contributed to its success. "

Stakeholders say Piazza at Paces also sits in an ideal, convenient spot in Buckhead. The 17-acre, mixed-use development is along Northside Parkway and Howell Mill Road near Interstate 75 at West Paces Ferry.

"It's a killer location because you don't have to sit in traffic," Altenbach said.

Atlanta City Council member Clair Muller expressed concern about potential traffic congestion.

"I really want the city to get a grip on the traffic in the area," said Muller, who represents District 8.

She said that credit should go to the owners and other interested parties, including neighborhood residents, for keeping the lines of communication open about the project.